2005 Upper Deck Reflections Blue

Year: 2005

Card Manufacturer: Upper Deck

Set: Reflections

Card Number: 152

Card Type: Base Parallel

Parallel Set: Blue

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 07/75

Have I told you how much I've missed Upper Deck in the baseball card scene?  The very crowed card market of the early and mid 2000s saw lots of innovation and gimmicks to try and grab the attention of the average card collector.  Upper Deck's Reflections gimmick was that it was shiny or at least a lot of the inserts and parallels were shiny.  The product offers all the trappings we've come to expect out of a product, autographs, relics, relic autographs and of course base parallels.  Reflections offered 6 colored and shiny base parallels.  

Here is Robin's blue parallel.  Numbered to only 75 it's got great eye appeal pairing well with his Brewers uniform.  The backs of the base card are pretty basic with just a line of total career stats and a small blurb.

 

2005 Donruss Classics - Legendary Lumberjacks

Year: 2005

Card Manufacturer: Donruss

Set: Classics

Card Number: LP-37

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Legendary Lumberjacks

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 286/400

Another pick up from my latest COMC delivery (see past posts for more details).  2005 is the year that keeps on giving, or at least will be the year that I'll always be able to find something I'm missing.  Not hard when Robin had over 1000 cards produced with his likeness that year.  The legendary series features a few different relics, but the overall theme is the base cards, while low numbered, are still for the design which has relic, auto, and relic auto versions.

 

2005 Donruss Throwback Threads Polo Grounds Long Fly to Right Field Out - Strike

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Donruss

Card Set: Throwback Threads

Card Number: PG-97

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Polo Grounds 50 Strike

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 47/50

2005, as I seem to say again and again, currently holds the record for the year with the most cards produced for Robin.  And it's cards like this one that are the reason.  This Polo Grounds game insert, pays homage to the 1914 Polo Grounds game cards. This set has 45 parallels total, with the highest serial numbered to just 85.  This card is part of the Strike Long Fly out numbered to 50 parallel.  I can remember when these came out and chasing a few of the parallels.  Nowadays these are pretty easy to find even if they are very low numbered.  While some of the really low numbered cards can set you back most of these can be had relatively cheap, relatively.  

2005 Upper Deck Classics Star Retro Rookies

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Upper Deck

Set: Upper Deck Classics

Card Number: 124

Card Type: Base, Sub-set

Sub-set: Star Retro Rookies

I wonder if Panini has a solid TM on the term Classics now.  Seems like back in the late 90s and early 2000s everyone had a Classics set.  2005 also happens to be the year that there were over 1000 different Yount cards produced, this is just one.  Upper Deck put out a couple HOF and retro sets this year.  Robin has multiple cards to chase in the set from 3 base paralles to insert, relics and a couple autographs.

The photo used screams retro for sure.  Baby blue uni, check.  Flip up sunglasses, check.  Long wavy hair, check.  Pretty basic back with a small factoid, full career stats on one line and basic player info.

2004 Topps Bazooka - Bazooka One-Liners Relic

Year: 2004
Manufacturer: Topps
Set: Bazooka

Card No: BOL-RY
Card Type: Relic
Relic Set: Bazooka One-Liners
Relic Type: Bat

I literally just got this one in the mail a few hours ago.  I've been looking for an affordable copy of this card for year's, 17 to be exact.  For some reason this card routinely goes for way more than I feel a simple bat relic out of a lower end product should.   But finally I came across a copy on eBay with a nice price tag and even more very affordable shipping.  It was actually my first time having a seller use the .99 cent card postage and other than the shipping never updated, the card was found safe and sound in my mailbox this afternoon.

I really miss this brand.  It was fun, retro, and had a ton of oddball stuff in the set, which I love. Plus a lot of the inserts like this one were just kind of fun and irreverent.  There is one parallel to this set  a foil board or something like it parallel numbered to just 25 copies, and very hard to find.  

I chuckle when I read the one-liner, because it reminds me of the old Brewers Police issue cards where they have something the player "says" on the back about safety, and never have I thought any of those players actually said any of those things, but this one, yeah that seems like something Robin would have said.

The Yount-o-graph 2021

 Back in 2014 I compiled all the cards that had been produced of Robin, at least that had been logged into the Trading Card Database.  It's been almost 7 years so I though it might be time to update the graph and see what the last 6 full year's of baseball cards have added to his total.  Robin is currently closing in on 7000 cards in the Database, something he'll likely top this year, especially when all the Leaf Lumber sets have been added (likely by me).  

First a couple notes for those who cares.  I've omitted the Hostess panels from the count as well as other a few other things that I consider to be doubles of the same thing, like the 1977 Pepsi Disc glove and Disc are two separate entries at the Database, but I've only counted them once here.  Also a large portion of Robin's cards from 1982 to 1993 consisted of the Milwaukee Brewers Police cards and their variations, I have include all variations as separate cards.  For everything 1999 and above I've just taken the total cards in the Database as gospel and haven't tried to edit them, mainly because there are just a lot.  And finally I have included the 202 cards I've documented so far this year, although I think I've missed a couple of the 5x7 Topps Online offerings that I'll be adding sooner or later.  There were a few number totals that had changed since 2014, but nothing significant. If you want to see that original post you can find it here.

I've also included a list of the years and total cards per year.  2005 still reigns as the year with the most Robin Yount cards produced by over double any other year.  2019 and 2020 also had very large bumps in total card numbers from previous years.   

Anyone out there have a particular year they really like for Yount cards?

Year   Cards

1975 5

1976 6

1977 17

1978 4

1979 3

1980 3

1981 15

1982 17

1983 62

1984 93

1985 83

1986 110

1987 103

1988 127

1989 158

1990 215

1991 128

1992 136

1993 196

1994 34

1995 11

1996 1

1997 1

1998 0

1999 12

2000 25

2001 70

2002 131

2003 178

2004 501

2005 1021

2006 240

2007 137

2008 477

2009 159

2010 79

2011 60

2012 102

2013 134

2014 327

2015 226

2016 228

2017 162

2018 172

2019 371

2020 453

2021 202

2005 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts Glory Days

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Upper Deck

Set: SP Legendary Cuts

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Glory Days

Card Number: GD-RY

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 382/399

Have I lamented recently how much I miss Upper Deck in baseball?  Let's go back to a time when the shelves were literally packed with product, back to 2005. 

I've said it many times, 2005 has the distinction of being the year that Robin has the most cards produced with his likeness, more than 1000!!  And that has to do with sets like this. In this set alone Robin has close to 40 different cards to chase (that of course includes all the parallels).

And of course what was all the rage was having an insert set that had not only color parallels, but also autograph, relic and relic autograph parallels.  

The base card for the Glory Days insert is numbered to only 399.  Again as was the tradition the overall design of the card is made to accommodate the autograph and relic parallels.  The autographed sticker would be placed where the team name is and the relic would be put where team logo is.  

But the card does feature full career stats on the back and a nice little write up, something that is usually missing on similar card made today.

2005 Upper Deck All Star Classics - Legendary All-Stars

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Upper Deck

Set: All-Star Classics

Card Number: 96

Card Type: Base

Let's go back a few years.  Not all the way back to Robin's playing days instead we'll go back to the year that he had the most baseball cards produced with his likeness.  And that year is 2005.  2005 also marked one of the year's that the most baseball card products were produced.  At the time there were sets that were trying to hit all the marks and this set of course celebrates the mid-summer classic.  Not to be confused with Upper Deck Classics or Sweet Spot Classics or heaven forbid Donruss Classics, no this set featured players, both past and present, both active, retired, and HOFers.  It's a great set for baseball fans. Oddly no autographs to be found in the set.  The hits would have been two relics, one gold parallel (the only parallel set), and 5 inserts.  This product was also a retail exclusive.  Not much to chase for Yount fans other than his base card and gold parallel serial numbered to 499.  A Brewers fan favorite Robin only made the All-Star team 3 times in his 20 year career all in the early 80s.

2005 Upper Deck Reflections

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Upper Deck

Set: Reflections

Card Number: 152

Card Type: Base

I miss Upper Deck from the baseball card market.  There were some great Upper Deck sets.  I don't think I would count this one as one of them, but if you like shiny cards, this set is for you.  The cards are very shiny and come in a rainbow of colors to chase, six to be exact and they come with varing rarities.  The base cards aren't the stars of the show for this set, no like many, many sets from the mid-2000s the base cards are an afterthought, almost a necessary evil that had to be included in a product release. something we are seeing less and less of these days with higher end products.  But Reflections was a hit driven product and there are lot of nice relics and autos to chase in this set.  Robin has quite a few as well.  

2005 Upper Deck Classics - Classics Counterparts Dual Relic

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Upper Deck

Set:  Classics

Card Number: CC-MY

Card Type: Insert Relic

Insert Set: Classic Counterparts Materials

Card Attributes: Piece of Authentic

Relic Type: Jersey

Note: Dual relic with Paul Molitor

Going back to the time of plenty.  I really like this insert set. Of course what's not to love about a card featuring two Brewers legends?  And of course it's a dual relic.  The Counterparts insert set consists of a base card numbered to 1999, this relic version, and an autographed version.  Relic and autograph cards are not numbered. Robin and Paul both have base cards in the set, as well as, being featured in other insert sets.

2005 Donruss Diamond Kings HOF Heroes HH-86

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Donruss

Set: Diamond Kings

Card Number: HH-86

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: HOF Heroes

COMC Black Friday Haul #51

I featured Robin's red bordered parallel of this card a few weeks ago.  I always find it interesting when I realize that I missed picking up a base card for year's.  To be fair I've had Robin's other card in this set for years, card #HH-61 with the color image.  I'm not sure why Donruss went and featured a bunch of players in the same set with this sepia or black and white version as well.  Most likely to add bulk to the set.  More cards you make the more you can sell.  And like his HH-61 there are plenty of parallels to chase.  Some as simple as the framed borders to auto-relics.  

2005 Donruss Studio - Portraits - Zenith White

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Donruss

Set: Studio

Card Number: SP-91

Card Type: Insert Parallel

Insert Set: Portraits

Parallel: Zenith White

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 43/70

COMC Black Friday Haul #47

I posted about 2005 a lot over the years.  Mainly because Robin has a lot of cards from 2005.  As a matter of fact the most cards every produced for Robin were in 2005 with what I estimated to be right around 1000.  You can see the Yount-o-graph I did year's ago here.  I should update that.

Anyways one of the main reasons Robin has so many cards from 2005 was the fact that a lot of the insert sets he was included in had a gazillion parallels.  Case in point is 2005 Donruss Studios Portraits insert, it has over 50 different parallels.  All serial numbered, all barely different.  A lot has to do the with advertising on the back but also the border color, the photo color and the serial numbering.  But with so many to chase when one pops up on COMC and for a decent price I usually will pick it up.  

The Portraits set was a nod to the cabinet cards from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Although I'm at a loss if it was directly modeled after one particular set.  Maybe someone out there knows?

Anyways it's a great card from the last set of Donruss Studio that was issued before Donruss-Playoff lost their MLB license.

2005 Donruss Diamond Kings HOF Heroes Red Framed HH-86

Year: 2005

Manufacture: Donruss

Set: Diamond Kings

Card Number: HH-86

Card Type: Insert parallel

Insert Set: HOF Heroes

Parallel: Red Framed

COMC Black Friday Haul #39

You would think working from home during this COVID-19 pandemic would lead to more blog posts, but I work 10 hour days so after I'm done doing what I can I really don't want to be on the computer anymore.  Ahem.  I'm fine, how are you all doing?

Next up, and I can't believe I'm still working through my Black Friday COMC haul pick ups, is Robin's 2005 Donruss Diamond Kings red framed HOF Heroes HOF-86.  Robin has two cards in this set and besides the different card numbering the image is different.  This card has a Sepia or Black and White, it's hard to tell, image.

2005 Donruss Diamond Kings - Team Timeline

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Donruss

Set: Diamond Kings

Card Number: TT-22

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Team Timeline

COMC Black Friday Haul #29

For those who weren't collecting in 2003-2005 it was the height of sets produced for baseball products (and other sports).  While the late 80's and early 90's saw the height of the junk was era, the mid-2000's saw hundreds and hundreds of different sets being produced.  It should come as no surprise that 2005 was also the year that the most Robin Yount cards were produced, with over 1000 being produced.

While that may seem daunting to a player collector I've long since come to terms that I'll never own every Yount card.  But for me the chase is where the enjoyment comes in and 2005 has a lot to hunt.

Point in case is this card.  I already had the relic version of this card, but the base card has eluded me til now.  Actually it's probably elude me simply because I hadn't been bothered to chase after it, but it popped up for sale during the Black Friday event at COMC.  The card commemorates Lyle's achievement of surpassing Robin as the Brewers single season HR leader.

2005 Topps Pristine Legends Base

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Topps

Set: Pristine Legends

Card Number: 43

Card Type: Base

COMC Black Friday Haul #23

It seems almost every year while shopping on COMC during Black Friday I manage to find a card or two that has slipped past me.  The 2005 Pristine Legends was the only year Topps produced the HOF/Retired set, and 2005 would be the last year for the Pristine brands 4 year run.  The Legends set had a different configuration than the regular Pristine set.  Each hobby box held 5 packs.  Each pack contained 6 base cards, one uncirculated refractor and one relic card.  There was one autograph per hobby box replacing the relic.  I already had two of the serial numbered uncirculated base refractors, but somehow missed picking up Robin's base card from this set.  Robin also has a relic and autograph to chase in this set.

2005 Fleer National Pastime

Year: 2005

Manufacture: Fleer

Set: National Pastime

Card Number: 74

Card Type: Base

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 489/699

COMC Black Friday Haul part 7.

One of my goals during the COMC Black Friday sale is to hunt for hole fillers.  Throughout the year I'm picking up deals like more like a sniper.  One here, one there, whenever they come up.  I also start to build my watch list, cards I want but I want to see if the price comes down, or if I'm going on a larger shopping spree like on Black Friday have a list of cards ready to purchase, and hopefully get them at a discount.  During the sale I usually will do a quick sweep of my want list, buy what I want and then go hunting.  This gets a bit more involved, checking what I already have and seeing if I can find cards I don't.  I'm always surprised how many base cards get by me, but I'm always happy to add them for a decent price when I find them on COMC.  This 2005 Fleer National Pastime card is one of those cards.This base card is serial numbered and while 699 copies may seem like a lot today, even back in the mid-2000's a base card numbered to only 699 copies was insane for a product, especially since most of the checklist was not short printed.  Ahem, but I digress.  This was obviously a hits driven product with 10 pack hobby boxes promising two hits and there were some fun hits.  Robin also has featured pretty heavily in the buyback offerings that could be found in the product.  According to Baseballcardpedia this was Fleer's last big fancy release before declaring bankruptcy. 

2005 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Upper Deck

Set: SP Legendary Cuts

Card Number: 69

Card Type: Base

Back when Upper Deck was putting out Baseball Cards, the SP Legendary Cuts set was a fan favorite.  At least I remember it that way.  It was also one of the first sets that was hit driven and the base set is largely an after thought for the set.  The base set is just 90 cards and has only one parallel compared to the insert sets that have multiple parallels, relic parallels, and auto parallels.  

But I like the overall stately look of the base cards for the 2005 set. And you can see by how little effort that was put into the backs of the base cards how much of an afterthought they were.

2005 Fleer Cooperstown Tribute

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Fleer

Set: Tradition

Card Type: Insert

Insert Set: Cooperstown Tribute

Card Number: 4CT

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 1100/1999

Nothing like a shiny foilboard card to get the day off right.  I'm a big fan of Cooperstown tribute sets and cards.  The scan really doesn't do the card justice on just how shiny it is.

These Cooperstown Tribute cards were inserted into the Fleer Tradition set.  Tradition had become Fleers flagship set for the most part and the base set was suppose to be 750 cards, but Fleer's bankruptcy meant only Series 1 was release.  It's very possible that the 10 card Tribute set would have been much larger, but at least we got Robin included before the Fleer brand got sold to Upper Deck.  The cards are serial numbered to the year of induction, so Robin's is out of 1999.  There is an unnumbered gold parallel which was the retail insert for this set and there are two relic parallels to chase.

2005 Fleer Classic Clippings

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Fleer

Set: Classic Clippings

Card Number: 2013

Card Type: Base (Legends subset)

Card Attributes: Serial Numbered

Serial Number: 078/999

I can remember lamenting to my LCS owner back in the era around 2003-2005 about just how many different products there were.  It was hard for a collector, and I'm sure equally hard for a shop owner, to decide what to buy and what to chase.  Of course now it's the exact opposite with store shelves looking downright anemic.  But that era, which I would start at the end of the 90's through about 2006-2007 really produced some great products, even if there was a ton.  There were flops of course, but with so many companies trying to outdo each other it made for some now classic sets.  

While I don't know if I'd call Fleer's Classic Clippings a classic set it does give us a few Younts to chase.  Robin is part of the Legends subset.  All the Legends cards were limited to just 999.  There area also two parallels to chase in this set, the First Edition numbered to 150 and the Final edition, which Baseballcardepdia says is numbered to 1, but I own a Final Edition version and it is not numbered at all.  He's not featured in any of the other insert sets.

2005 Upper Deck Portraits

Year: 2005

Manufacturer: Upper Deck

Set: UD Portraits, or just Portraits

Card Number: 51

Card Type: Base

Just a base card today.  The configuration of the UD Portraits set is pretty simple.  You have the base set, jersey and jersey autograph parallels, one insert set which has a relic parallel and then autographed box toppers.  Robin is featured in the base set along with Ben Sheets and Prince Fielder as the only other Brewers in the base set, Prince Fielder also has a card in the Scrapbook Moments inserts set.  Robin also has two relic parallels based off of the base card.  The relic window is where the team logo is on the base card.  Ben Sheets has an autograph in the 8x10 box toppers and also relic and auto relic cards in the parallels to the base set.  Like many of the mid-2000s sets the base set is more of an after thought to the relic and autograph parallels of the card.  The card is simple, but it's a great photo of Robin getting ready to bat.